Niebla fimbriata

Last updated

Niebla fimbriata
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Lecanorales
Family: Ramalinaceae
Genus: Niebla
Species:
N. fimbriata
Binomial name
Niebla fimbriata
Spjut (1996)

Niebla fimbriata is a fruticose lichen that grows on volcanic rocks in the Channel Islands of California and along the foggy Pacific Coast of Baja California from near San Antonio del Mar south to Arroyo Sauces, which is located south of Punta Canoas. [1] The epithet, fimbriata is in reference to the fringed branches of the thallus.

Contents

Distinguishing features

Niebla fimbriata is recognized by the thallus divided into subterete branches from a central attachment point, reaching a height of 6 cm while spreading out as much as 10 cm across; the branches seem to bend backwards as they grow, producing a fringe of narrow branchlets along both margins of a primary branch, all pointing in the same direction—upwards, the whole branch with its branchlets resembling the lobster body on its back with the legs pointing up, but branchlets may also fall off, leaving the margins of the primary branch to appear with rudimentary crinkled branchlets. Black dot-like pycnidia are scattered and immersed along the margins and cortical ridges, or they may be conspicuous and abundant in some thalli. The cortex is rather thick in covering a partially hollow medulla (“subfistulose”), 100–150(-200) μm thick, olive green in color with smooth, reticulate or honeycomb-like areas. Apothecia are born on the narrow branchlets. Lichen substances are sekikaic acid, with triterpenes. [1]

Niebla fimbriata is relatively infrequent and widely scattered in its occurrence. At the type locality (mesa above San Antionio del Mar) it was found with two rare species of Niebla, Niebla pulchribarbara , Niebla versiforma , in association with common species, Niebla juncosa , Niebla josecuervoi , Niebla arenaria , and Niebla effusa on lava among a low mixed chaparral desert succulent transition scrub that included Agave shawii , Dudleya ingens, Ferocactus spp. Mammillaria dioica , Frankenia palmeri , Eriogonum fastigiatum, and Rosa minutifolia . [1] This area is just north of Punta Colonet, not between Ensenada and Tijuana where there has been active Real Estate development.

Taxonomic history

Niebla fimbriata was first recognized in Baja California as a result of pursuing a lichen flora of that region; the type (biology) specimen was collected from San Antonio del Mar, 13 April 1990. It was later found in a lichen collection from Charis Bratt, now at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, reportedly collected on Santa Cruz Island. [1]

Niebla fimbriata exhibits geographical variation that is suggested to be related to hybridization. In the Channel Islands intermediates are evident with Niebla siphonoloba and on the Baja California peninsula with Niebla juncosa . [1] A third variant that occurs near Punta Canoas is notably different in the branches densely covered with short isidia-like branchlets. [2]

It may be noted that Niebla fimbriata has been treated as belonging to a broad spectrum of morphological and chemical variation in Niebla homalea that includes many different species of Niebla and Vermilacinia . [3]

Related Research Articles

Vermilacinia ligulata is an infrequent lichen found along the foggy Pacific Coast of Baja California in rock-walled narrow arroyos, on rocky peninsulas and on ridges within the Northern Vizcaíno Desert region, ranging from Punta Cono to just north of Punta Canoas, and along the east coast of Cedros Island. The species was first collected in May 1985 in the southern part of the northern peninsula of Baja California, about 100 km north of Guerrero Negro, 400 meters inland from the ocean on rocky walls with a northern exposure in a narrow estuary. The type is from the same locality but collected one year later, 19 May 1986.

Vermilacinia paleoderma is a pale yellow-green fruticose lichen that occurs commonly along the fog zone of the Pacific Coast of Northern Vizcaíno Desert region of Baja Californica and occasionally in the Chaparral Islands of California.

<i>Vermilacinia procera</i> Species of lichen

Vermilacinia procera is a fruticose lichen of local occurrences on rocks near the sea along the Pacific Coast from San Francisco California to the Channel Islands, and to Punta Escarpada in Baja California. The species is also reported to occur further south to the Vizcaíno Peninsula and on Cedros Island, but these reports are controversial in view of different interpretations of the species that include V. pumila and V. paleoderma that were not recognized at the time V. procera was described ; for example, a specimen collected on Guadalupe Island by Weber and MCoy (L-3605, COLO that was cited by Phillip Rundel and Peter Bowler in 1994 as belonging to Niebla procera, whereas in a revision of the genus by Richard Spjut in 1996, it was cited as belonging to Vermilacinia paleoderma. Both authorities generally agree to some extent on the description of the species and its geographical range within the California Floristic Province.

Vermilacinia vesiculosa is a fruticose lichen known only from a vertical rock face north of Punta Canoas along the Pacific Coast of Baja California. The epithet vesiculosa is in reference to the bladder-like swellings on the thallus.

Niebla disrupta is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of California, from Marin County to San Luis Obispo County, in the Channel Islands, and on Guadalupe Island in Baja California. The epithet, disrupta was given by William Nylander possibly in reference to the terminal vine-like branchlets exhibiting a disruption or slight change in the direction of growth where apothecia develop, or possibly to the branchlets that appear to break off.

Niebla effusa is a fruticose lichen that grows on gravelly soil along the foggy Pacific Coast of Baja California from near Punta Colonet south to near Punta Rosarito. The epithet, effusa is in reference to the thallus spreading widely along the surface.

Niebla flabellata is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of Baja California in the Northern Vizcaíno Desert, from San Fernando Canyon to the northern shore of the Vizcaíno Peninsula west to Cedros Island. The epithet, flabellata is in reference to the flattened branches of the thallus.

Niebla infundibula is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the Pacific Coast in the Channel Islands of California and in Baja California on Guadalupe Island, and on the main peninsula in the southern region of the Northern Vizcaíno Desert on a ridge south of Punta Negra. The epithet, infundibula, is in reference to the funnel shape of the thallus branches.

Niebla juncosa is a fruticose lichen that grows on rock, stony soil and sand along the Pacific Coast of Baja California from Punta Banda to Morro Santo Dominogo. The epithet, juncosa is in reference to the thallus divided into rush-like branches, the stems of the flowering plant genus Juncus.

Niebla laminaria is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the Pacific Coast of North America within the California Floristic Province, from Marin County, California south to Misión San Vicente Ferrer in Baja California, and in the Baja Channel Islands. The epithet, laminaria is in reference to the thallus divided into blade-like branches similar to a genus of brown algae, Laminaria.

Niebla marinii is a fruticose lichen that grows on lava along the Pacific Coast of Baja California from near San Fernando Canyon south to Morro Santo Domingo. The epithet, marinii, is in honor of a field assistant, Richard Marin, who accompanied the author on lichen-collecting expeditions to Baja California during 1985–1996, while he also assisted in the gathering of samples of flowering plants for cancer research.

Niebla podetiaforma is a fruticose lichen that grows frequently on small stones in fog regions along the Pacific Coast of Baja California from San Vicente Canyon to Morro Santo Domingo. The epithet, podetiaforma is in reference to a primary inflated branch of the thallus that resembles a podetium, a common feature in the lichen genus Cladonia.

Niebla ramosissima is a rare fruticose lichen that grows on soil on San Nicolas Island in the Channel Islands of California. The epithet, ramosissima, is in reference to the very much branched thallus.

Niebla rugosa is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of Baja California in the Vizcaíno Desert. The epithet, rugosa is in reference to the wrinkled reticulated surface of the thallus.

Niebla siphonoloba is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of North America, in the Channel Islands, and from Bahía de San Quintín, Baja California to the Vizcaíno Peninsula. The epithet, siphonoloba is in reference to the pipe-like shape of the thallus branches.

Niebla sorocarpia is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of California in the Channel Islands and in Baja California in the Northern Vizcaíno Desert. The epithet, sorocarpia, is in reference to the terminal aggregate apothecia.

Niebla suffnessii is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of North America within the Vizcaíno Desert region of Baja California. The epithet, suffnessii, is in honor of Matthew Suffness who was Chief of the Natural Products Branch in the National Cancer Institute during the late 1970s to mid 1980s, and later a coordinator of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) contracts for the drug discovery groups, and who also encouraged the screening of lichens and bryophytes in the search for new anticancer drugs.

Niebla turgida is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks in the fog zone along the Pacific Coast of Baja California in the Northern Vizcaíno Desert The epithet, turgida is in reference to the swollen branches of the thallus.

Niebla undulata is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks in the fog zone along the Pacific Coast of Baja California in the Northern Vizcaíno Desert, and also in the Channel Islands. The epithet, undulata, is in reference to the wavy margins of the thallus.

Niebla versiforma is a rare fruticose lichen that grows on gravelly soil along the foggy Pacific Coast of Baja California on a mesa above San Antonio del Mar just north of Punta Colonet. The epithet, versiforma is in reference to the various shapes of a thallus branch.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Spjut, R. W. 1996. Niebla and Vermilacinia (Ramalinaceae) from California and Baja California. Sida Bot. Misc. 14
  2. World Botanical Associates, Niebla fimbriata, retrieved 21 Dec 2014, http://www.worldbotanical.com/niebla_fimbriata.htm#fimbriata
  3. Bowler, P. and J. Marsh. 2004. Niebla. ‘Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert 2’: 368–380.